FLEFF Labs: Open Space Lab

FLEFF Labs: Open Space Lab was a half-semester, one credit course co-taught with Claudia Pederson. The purpose of the course was to introduce students to alternative ways of conceptualizing social media. From the syllabus: bq. This one credit pass/fail course explores the concept of open space through a range of theories and practices of social media, social networking, emerging technologies, user generated content, and other structures. Students will engage in group projects that combine conceptual investigations of open space modes with digital interfaces and social media. Students will explore the concept of space through five “variables”, namely: responsive environments, public, utopian, commercial, and ecologic spaces. Students will work in groups toward final projects, each addressing one of these concepts. The role of the instructors is to provide students with conceptual and practical guidance toward the completion of class projects. The final works will be permanently displayed on the FLEFF website. In the seven sessions of the course students read key theoretical and artistic texts, learned about current artistic practices, participated in remote presentations with contemporary artists, and created prototypes of their own projects.